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danosrosegarden · 1 year ago

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HIIII ELIII !!! firstly THANK YOU for all the work you do for danonation… you are our strongest soldier !!! 🙏🙏💕💕💕 secondly, i’d like to put in a request for the anniversary celebration !!! <3 if i could may i get glitz + edward nashton? i love that lil freak … maybe something with creepy mutual obsession? i need him to know i’m just as obsessed with him as he would be with me …. THANK YOU SO MUCH AAAH !!! ^_^

it's hot and we rot - edward nashton x gn!reader headcanons (NSFW)

elijah's anniversary celebration: post three!

✨ glitz prompt: give me a character, and i will write a nsfw piece for them. ✨

{contains: male masturbation, public masturbation, underwear thievery, sub edward, and general mutual creepiness and obsession.}

♡ Sharp, grimy talons of guilt pierce through his heart and spill the thick, gushing blood all over each time he finds himself back in the bathroom next to his cubicle. Edward Nashton knows that there's nothing good in what he's doing. There never is.

♡ But God, does it feel right. Sorry. He really shouldn't tell you that, it might make you uncomfortable, he knows. But he thinks it's something you should know. An inky black secret too revolting and shameful to keep to himself. A slowly swirling python of perverse glee wraps itself around Edward's sweat-slicked body as he pulls your underwear out of his pocket: the carnival prize he'd won for himself last time he was over at your apartment.

♡ He hears your voice swimming around in his head as he wraps it around his cock, already slick with precum and throbbing a harsh, blushing pink. That's disgusting, Edward! I trusted you, I let you into my home, and that's what you do when I'm not looking? You're a fucking freak, you know that?

♡ Jesus. He's already biting down hard on his cracked lips so as to not alert his coworkers. It's all a rolling ball of sharpened knives, a blazing firecracker of intensity...the thought of your horrified look and cruel, venom-laced words spat into his face. The idea that somebody in the office could walk in at any moment and accidentally catch sight of him through the spaces in the stall doors, crimson-cheeked and leaking all over his tightly-gripped hand.

♡ His mind runs chaotically wild as he pumps himself, the fluorescent light above his head humming a low, growling buzz. You. He wants you. He doesn't give a fuck what he has to do. He'll beg for scraps. He'll whine and plead. He'll get on his knees and pray. God, he just wants you.

♡ Heat. It rushes through his body, injects itself straight into his bloodstream. He feels the white-hot warmth tingling deep in his gut as a high whine slips from the slits in his clenched teeth. It feels dirty, what he's doing, but that's part of the charm. He feels appalling, painting his hand with thick dribbles of cum in his workplace bathroom while thinking of your acidic, outraged insults, but he cannot stop himself.

♡ Maybe it's for the better that Edward doesn't know how deeply you want him, too. He's hardly able to be around you as is without the sickening thoughts infecting his brain...if he knew you reciprocated, he would never be able to calm himself down.

♡ For sure, Edward would explode if he knew about the picture of him you kept in your bedside drawer. You took it on your Polaroid while he was over one evening, destressing from work. His smile is crooked and his hair is ratty, but that was the picture. The picture you held tight in your hand when you masturbated and whispered his name into the hot, blanketing air of your bedroom. The picture you stared longingly at when the aftershocks subsided. My precious boy. Sweet angel. I wish I could ruin you.

♡ Edward stuffs his prize back into his pocket and washes his hands with a sheen of light sweat dusted across his forehead and a heavy coat of shame wrapped around his shoulders. He knows deep down in the depths of his heart that you're far too good for him. He'd actually much rather be the loser moaning and writhing to the thought of you than risk the friendship he'd somehow managed to obtain. At least he'd gotten away with his gross thievery. Nothing more, he promised himself. There is no going further.

♡ He also knows deep down in the depths of his heart that there was no stopping the enormity of his depraved desire. It was famished and on the hunt for any fragment of you it could find. And if only he knew the same hunger lived within you, chronically clawing at your gut, demanding more, more, more. God, if only he knew.

#eli's writing #danonation #paul dano #edward nashton #the riddler #the batman #edward nashton x reader #the riddler x reader #edward nashton x you #the riddler x you #edward nashton x y/n #the riddler x y/n #elijah's anniversary celebration 24

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sparrowrye · 1 year ago

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Alastor x Fem! Reader {soulmates} Part 2

Synopsis: soulmate AU where you have the same mark on your body as your soulmate, and if your soulmate dies you also die. Alastor needs to make sure that his soulmate is safe so he can continue his reign - whatever that takes.

Part 2 summary: Escape is futile

Part Pilot

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And the winner is Python!"

I turned my head from the bloody sight. I had brutally murdered an innocent fighter like myself. But I had to do it. It was my only chance out of here and they were far too mentally gone to even have a chance at a normal life.

I pushed myself up on one foot and limped to the gate. The crowd above roared my fighter name and bets were being collected. My master picked me up and looked down at my injured foot. Usually a head collar was strapped on to keep me from using magic against him, but he had recently gotten more comfortable without it.

I flicked my wrist behind his back. The sweat from my forehead jumped off and sliced through his throat. He dropped me and fell, clutching his throat. I scrambled to my feet and bolted around the cages containing my brothers and sisters in fighting. I ran past the unknowing guard at the gate and into the crowd.

I could taste the sweet taste of freedom beyond those fences. All I had to do was hide in the woods until dawn. It was easy. The crowd didn't know what was happening and people often tried to run out on a poor bet. No one would interfere.

Except one.

Rope wrapped around my throat and snapped my head backwards. The force slammed my back into the cold ground. I coughed violently as I pulled the rope loose. Spit fell out of my lips as I looked up. Standing on the other end of the rope was Striker, a Full mage who liked to terrify others with his illusionist demonic appearance.

He pulled on the rope and it tightened again. I slipped my hand under it and tried to dig my chin between my neck and it. He pulled even tighter, rougher, and pulled me forward, forcing me to fall on my stomach. I sent wind and dirt but he casted a shield of around himself.

I looked to the side and pretended to lift something. His glance was all I needed. I leaned forward and pulled the rope over my head. I barely made two steps before something caught my foot. I tried to pull that one off but the ropes kept coming. My neck, my shoulder, my wrist, and my knee. I flailed and threw every magic I could at his ropes. Yet it did nothing. A Slight hand was no match for a Full mage.

Henchmen appeared and pulled the ropes in different directions. It was mere seconds to have me completely immobile on the cold ground. Striker stepped inches from my face before kneeling down and grabbing my chin. He lifted the rope around my neck at the same time, painfully contorting my neck in what felt like a 90 degree angle.

"Looks like you're mine now, sweetheart," he purred, "'til the day you die." He let go of my head and my face slammed down into the pavement.

I jerked my head up from the pillow with a yelp. I found myself in an old, dusty room with sunlight streaming in from the window. I sat up and examined every inch of the room. How the hell did I get here?

I tried to think past the nightmare but was met with a mental block. Who's house was this? Why am I here? When did I change into a white gown? Who's bed is this?

I put my feet on the cold carpet and padded over to the window. I looked out at a wide open sea and a sheer cliff-face. That's when it connected. I had evaded the worse fighter master for five years and landed right in the claws of the Radio Demon.

A light knock came at the door. I dove into the corner and put my hand up, ready to cast at a moment's notice. But the person who entered wasn't the Radio Demon, but a different one. He resembled a combination of a cat and bird, his entire body covered in gray and white fur and his wings a gorgeous bright red. He had a black top hat sitting between his ears.

"You're awake," he said, "Good. Your clothes are in the wardrobe. Alastor wants to speak with you before he leaves so hurry up." He shut the door.

My neck hairs bristled at being told what to do. I didn't waste five years of freedom to be told what to do again solely because my soul happened to be bound to the worse Full mage of the century.

Yet there was nothing I could do.

I opened the wardrobe to find old dresses that looked like they were from the 1930s. Maybe the 40s or 50s? They were old, that much was obvious. Not my style, either.

Now he's dressing me.

I swallowed hard and picked a long skirt and button down. I locked myself in the bathroom, grateful that it had a lock, and quickly dressed. The sink had a bowl of water in it which told me this old house didn't have working pipes.

I gently splashed my eyes with the ice cold water to wake myself up. I found an old brush in one of the drawers and brushed out my messy hair. It had taken nearly three years to really understand how to take care of this hair. I had grown it out after escaping the rings to make myself more unnoticeable.

I let out a sigh. I closed my eyes and took a moment to ready myself for the next encounter with the mage. He couldn't kill me. He would kill himself in the process. If he tried to keep my in a cage like the others a little self harm should do the trick. I had options. I could handle this. I had handled worse. Right?

Outside the room wasn't much better off. The floorboards caved under my weight and spewed dust up in my face. I sneezed a few times on my way down, careful not to touch anything in case it disintegrated upon contact.

The staircase to the foyer was tight and narrow. I could clearly see the deep purple and dark brown accents of the house now. It didn't exactly look pretty. Though I couldn't imagine much thought was put into any part of this old house.

I turned at the last step to find my soulmate standing by the cold fire. He seemed to be looking at something before he spun to face me. His eyes looked me from head to toe and back again. My fingers tightened into a fist subconsciously.

"Mm, it'll do." I bristled at the comment but he crossed the living room in seconds to stand in front of me. I took a step back. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine."

"Come sit, I have much to tell you before I leave." He stepped to the side and gestured to the room. His other hand was behind his back holding his cane; the cane that made me feel like I was always being watched with the creepy little eye on it.

I looked up at his red eyes before forcing myself to walk into the room and sit on one of the hideous old chairs. He sat on the other one on the opposite side of the fireplace and crossed his legs elegantly. I crossed my ankles and put my hands in my lap. I hated dresses but I had watched enough women and explored the internet enough to know how to sit 'properly'. He seemed like the type to correct me on manners.

"I'll make this simple since I have places to be," he started, "My rules are very simple. Rule number one, you're not to leave the premises. You have until the tree-line before you're considered off this property. Rule number two, you can go anywhere in the house except for my room and office. They're beside each other on the second floor. Don't worry, they're locked so you can't mistake them for another room." His eyes narrowed a tad. "Rule number three, don't bother me. You can do anything you like, request nearly anything from Husker, but do not disturb me."

"May I ask a question?" I ventured. My head was tilted down a little and my eyes glared up at him.

"Yes you may." He laid his cane on his lap.

"If you want nothing to do with me, why the hell are you keeping me here?"

"Silly girl," he chuckled, "I told you last night. I need not worry about my soulmate dying in wasteful ring fights. If you die, I die. Not to mention, if people discovered we were connected you would undoubtedly find yourself against very powerful mages that could kill you in half a second." I gritted my teeth, unsure of how to respond. "And as I said last night, you should be grateful that I'm providing you with a safe haven."

"A safe haven that's about to collapse?" I remarked, looking around at the dusty boards and picking at the old ratted chair.

"Well," he laughed, "if you're bored you could always fix up the place."

"Can't you do that with your oh-so-powerful magic?"

"I have more important things to use my magic on. Besides, your Slight magic should be enough to fix up the things you need." I was about to argue when he abruptly stood up. "Well, I must be going now. I do hope I won't have to remind you of my rules. They are rather simple and easy to follow. Good day." He didn't bother to use the door, disappearing into the shadows and melting into the floor.

I stared at where he had disappeared for a long moment. My eyes then trailed around the room, examining its every inch. It was quiet. Too quiet.

Boards creaked and I looked over to see Husker appearing from the hallway. "I'm sorry to hear that you have a shitty soulmate," he said, sounding genuinely apologetic.

"I never believed in soulmates, really." I stood up to walk over to him. We looked roughly the same height until I got closer and discovered to be a few inches taller. "Is there a reason why you're...here? With him?"

"I'm under Alastor's service for an extended period of time," he answered, turning back down the hallway. I followed him through the narrow entryway and came to an old kitchen. "He told me I'm to fulfill most of your requests."

"Why do you listen to him?"

"For my own reasons," he growled, "I'm not about to let you run off, if that's what you're trying to get at. He can't kill you but he can kill me, and he will if I let you run off."

"Right." I quietly left the room to explore the rest of the house. Next to the kitchen was the dinning room. It was full of random old furniture that looked like someone had dumped the insides of a victorian home here. It circled back to the staircase and sitting room. On the other side of the sitting room was a library study. The books looked like they were nests for spiders, moths, and bookworms.

Upstairs had another sitting room but was mostly filled with old bedrooms and bathrooms. I quickly discovered which rooms belonged to Alastor. Directly across from 'my' bedroom were two locked doors side by side. So long as he came and went at early or late hours of the day, I could avoid him easy.

Escaping shouldn't be hard, though. A pang of guilt went through me as I thought of Husker having to deal with the repercussions. He was obviously a Full mage if he could conjure up a demonic illusion like that. Though what for while he was here, I'm not sure. Perhaps a scare tactic. I shook the thought from my head. I had killed people with my bare hands on the concept of "Me or them". This would be no different.

"Say," I found Husker drinking something in the kitchen, "could we fix the pipes so we can have running water?"

Husker shrugged. "Sure. You want to help?" The side glance his black eyes made me want to incline.

"Sure."

Outside had a cool, ocean breeze crossing the field. I instantly found the tree line Alastor spoke of. The first challenge of escaping would be crossing the field. There was nothing to hide behind or use for a shield. I had to buy time to cross the field and take shelter in the dense trees.

Husker went to the side of the house where an old well stood a few paces from it. He put his hands on the ground and seemed to search through the earth. A moment later he snapped his black eyes open and looked up at me.

"Clean out the well and dig further down until you reach water." He said as he pointed to the stoned circle. I stood on the side that put it between me and Husker. I had heard too many tales of people losing their life to a deep well.

Husker fixed the pipes underground and through the house while I fixed the source. I knew my next request to him was to allow me more clothes that fit my style. And more pants. I kept quiet until the brown water turned into pristine, clear running water from all the faucets.

I dried my hands on my dress in the kitchen and asked, "How did you know I had magic?"

"Alastor told me."

"Right."

"I've also seen you in the fight rings before."

"You what?" I bristled.

"Relax," he grabbed the same bottle from the counter, "I wasn't a master or anything. I was running the bets and gambling." That didn't make me feel any better. How could he just let them keep those fights going? His appearance gave me my answer.

So I changed the subject. "How would you suggest I ask you for different clothes? These aren't exactly right for me." I looked down at the elongated skirt.

He let out a sigh and pulled out a phone. My heart quickened. "Find what you're looking for and screenshot what you want. Then tell me your size."

"You know, that's not exactly how sizes for women work," I tried. "One size in one store could be very different than another."

"Then pick one store and tell me what sizes," he replied. My heart dropped and I took the phone from him.

****

I gave myself a week before my first escape attempt. I had to know Alastor's schedule and Husker's routine. I also need to ensure they weren't bracing for my first attempt. A week should be long enough, surely.

Alastor left in the mornings before or right at dawn and returned at some point well after dusk. Husker preferred to be in the living room or on the outside porch drinking alcohol. I guessed that he had some kind of magic that kept the effects of alcohol to a minimum so he could still keep an eye on me. I made it a habit to join him on the porch most of the time, reading the one book I could think of off the top of my head for him to get.

Alastor had made two more rules since my arrival. Well, one official rule and one implicit. The explicit one was no unsupervised internet access. No phone, no computer, nothing. I had no connection to the outside world.

The implicit rule was my clothing style. Any 'modern' clothing that was even close to being considered immodest disappeared from my wardrobe the next day. This meant he was keeping a close eye on me despite his rules to keep as much distance between the two of us as possible. I had to be careful. I didn't know what type of magic he was using and if he could see me at any point.

But I was ready.

It was a blue evening, the setting sun hidden behind a raincloud. The rain hadn't quite reached us yet but the strong gusts were moving the clouds closer and closer. As much as I didn't want to escape on a rainy night, it was the best chance I had. Muddy conditions and rain made it difficult to see and operate in. For most people. Most likely for Full mages who were used to having everything handed to them on a plate thanks to their power.

Husker had just finished another one of his whiskey bottles and went inside for another. I whispered an apology as the door closed and I stood up from my chair. I used my magic to push against the wood from underneath so they didn't creak. I jumped the stairs and as soon as my feet hit the grass I ran.

I pushed wind against my back to help carry me across the field. My heart pounded in my ears as I reached the tree line and disappeared behind the closest large tree. I sank to the ground and peaked around the tree. I didn't see Husker yet.

I turned and ran further into the forest. The wind from the storm made it easy to maneuver through the dense forest. I had no idea where the closest town or city was but I needed to put as much distance between me and the house as possible.

There was no notion of time as I kept running. My legs burned and chest hurt but I didn't dare stop until I could barely stand. I pushed through the pain and veered off to the side, hoping they would search in the other direction. The rain had started and trees bent against the strong winds, pushing back as best they could. I took this as my cue to find a hiding spot until the storm cleared up.

I picked one of the trees and started pulling up the dirt and roots. I would dig myself a little burrow and wait out the storm. The wind pulled aggressively on my clothes and hair. It felt incredibly strong for a storm and it made my blood run cold. I frantically looked around in search of the bright red of Alastor's coat or Husker's wings. This wasn't natural wind. This was from magic. They were searching for me.

The trees practically uprooted themselves as the wind pushed against them, opening the forest floor to the sky for a moment. I briefly saw Husker's red wings in the sky before the trees cut my line of sight. I dove to the side before the trees opened again. I felt like a field mouse running from a coyote in the field grass.

Husker dropped through the canopy and locked eyes with me. He curled his claws inward and the tree branches reached for me. I pushed against them with wind and snaked through their reaches. I stayed as close to the ground as I possibly could. I needed someplace to defend, somewhere that he couldn't reach me. The forest was proving to be a horrible idea.

Wind and fire were my best friends as I evaded and burned the branches that grabbed at me. Husker went back to the skies and attempted to create a wall with the trees. A branch caught my foot and dragged me towards its trunk. I opened the earth near it and pulled its roots up. I used the storm and pushed the tree all the way down. I jumped into the ditch and pulled the roots back over me, partially covering me from the sky. Husker flapped overhead, arms crossed.

I dug into the earth and filled it up behind me. The further down I went the farther I was from the reach of the trees. Several times he tried to catch me with the roots but he couldn't see me anymore. I had broken his line of sight. That's how you defeat a Full mage, I realized. If the mage couldn't see you, then they didn't know what they were doing.

I picked a random direction and started tunneling again. I didn't get far, though, as I realized my great fault. I had filled most of the earth behind me and it cut off my airway. It was freezing this far down and I was lacking oxygen. I was suffocating. I was already sweating and exhausted but not I was truly fighting for my life.

Praying that they were digging after me in the original spot, I start tunneling back up. Going up was far easier than going down but I was already exhausted, physically, mentally, and magically. I had to take several stops, struggling to breathe.

After what felt like an hour, I reached tree roots. I grabbed hold of one and used the last of my magic strength to pull myself through the dirt. I clambered through the dirt and sucked in the fresh air. I frantically looked around, half expecting Husker to jump on me from behind. But he was nowhere in sight. The light rain had turned into a downpour but the tree I was under gave me enough shelter from it.

I looked around for several moment before collapsing against the trunk. I took deep breaths of the sweet fresh air and let the rain drops patter on my face. Had I done it? Were they digging after me or looking elsewhere for my tunnel exit? It didn't matter. I just needed a few minutes to recover.

"Well done."

My breathing caught in my throat. I looked up to see Alastor leaning against the tree staring down at me. His smile was still plastered on his face and the sarcasm was heavy. I scrambled to my feet and backed away from him.

"I must say I'm impressed that you managed to evade Husker but I'm sorely disappointed that you can't follow simple instructions." He was leaning forward enough this he was at my eye level and creeping towards me.

“I'm disappointed you thought I would just stay put like a pet," I returned with heavy breathing. I was so tired. I didn't know if I had the energy to run from him.

He chuckled at my retort. "I knew you would attempt to run. You watched my schedule. You knew I wouldn't be back until later. I know exactly how your mind works."

“Do you, now?" Using my peripherals, I willed the roots from the nearest tree to uproot and wrap around his legs, making sure not to touch him yet. "Then you'll know that a cornered animal fights back until they die." I snapped the roots tightly around him. He looked down and I ran. I was so tired but desperation kept my blood boiling in all my fights.

I used the strong wind and rode it into the sky. I threw myself as high as I could and looked around. It was nothing but trees. No town, no city, no house, absolutely no sign of humanity. I was in the middle of nowhere.

I dropped into the trees and hide among the branches, eyes desperately scanning the ground. I leaned back to sit on my heels but the strength in my arm had disappeared. I lost my grip on the branch and fell backwards, hitting branches on my way down.

I landed hard on my back and felt a crack run through my spine. I sucked in a gasp of air and stared up at the gray sky. I gripped at the wet grass and tried to pull my strength back in. Alastor appeared above me a moment later, smiling down at my paralyzed body. He knelt beside my head so his ugly yellow smile came closer to my face.

"This suites you," he said, "this desperation. You're trying so hard to escape no matter what it does or if it kills you." He pushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. "Unfortunately for you, it matters to me because we share the same fate."

"Fuck you."

His smile lessened slightly. "I'll add another rule for you to follow." He grabbed my throat and hoisted me to my feet. His claws dug painfully into my skin until I could feel my blood soaking my shirt. He pushed me against a tree and leaned in close to my face. I pulled on his wrist and tried not to cough in his face. "Rule number five. Never speak to me in such a way again." He paused. "Words like that are unbefitting for a woman."

"You can..." I struggled to speak clearly, "you can...keep me here but...but I'm...but I will not play...play by your rules." My heart was racing as his grip tightened even more so. He dies if you die. He dies if you die. I repeated in my head.

He let go of me and I fell face first into the ground. I gasped and coughed up spit as I rubbed my throat. "Give it time." I saw his feet walk around to stand in front of me. "I can be very persuasive."

#hazbin alastor #hazbin hotel #hazbin husk #alastor x reader #alastor the radio demon #soulmates #soulmate au

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ronnykins-needshelp · 2 months ago

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🐍 Beast tamer’s petty kidnappers agenda

Chapter 2 is now out on AO3 - link

Preview

Shen Yuan decided to be the most obnoxious little shit he could while he was draped over Luo binghes shoulder. He screamed profanities, bit, scratched, whined, complained, you name it!

But that fucker still didnt put him down!! Usually, such tactics worked – his entire family can back that up! – but this man didn't even budge. Was that even humanly possible?

Not for him because he was a motherfucking demon!!

Due to adrenaline, Shen Yuan’s brain didn't actually process the fact that the demon lord of the 2 realms was carrying him. All he had in mind was the poor black-moon Rhinoceros python that was killed.

He took a minute to catch his breath while rubbing his throat, his asthmatic ass couldn’t take such long periods of screaming.

“ All cried out? “ The demon snarked under him. Shen Yuan felt a rush of smugness to hear that his pestering did, in fact, affect the demon.

“No. “ Then, he continued his antics until they arrived at their destination.

Which were unfortunately bed chambers. He was plopped down onto the luxurious bed in the side of the room. He looked around as he tried to determine his predicament.

The room was crudely simple. Not like how he would style his room – which was an organized chaos of bestiary notes, food, plants, and his special fan collection. This, however, harbored a single desk and nightstand. There were scrolls on top of both, but they were organized in a way that made the impression they had just been left there a day prior. But Shen Yuan knew better, he could see the layers of dust everywhere in the room. It made him wonder what exactly is the significance of this bedroom.

Oh shit.

He is in a bedroom

_______

He had only just reunited with his Shizun for a few hours, but he knew already that it would be a tremendous effort to get him back to his old self. It never really occurred to him that maybe this was his shizun’s real personality, with how much emotion he guarded that also included smiling.

So he marched towards the private courtyard that he had built with his own two hands and kicked the door open — not hard enough to break, but enough to get the message. He heard before before his eyes fell upon the scene before him that left him breathless.

“ The monster's gone. “

The floor that surrounded the bed was filled with servants looking in awe.

“ He’s on the run. “

Long, slender, and delicate fingers gently caressed a face softened by tears.

“ And your daddy’s here. “

Green and white robes rested on a dainty frame that leaned forward as the light shone from the window; it gave the sight an ethereal radiance no other dared replicate.

“ Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful, “

The lips that sang the sweet melodies of earthly birds were curved in the gentlest smile that could rival the brightest star.

“ Beautiful boy. “

The tune heightens at the last moment as if a mother was soothing her crying child.

#svsss #shen qingqiu #shen yuan #fanfic #mxtx #mxtx svsss #luo binghe #BTPKA #bingqiu #luo bingge #luo bingmei #scum villian self saving system #svsss fanfiction

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fanfic-she-wrote · 9 months ago

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Second Chances

Beetlejuice x Lydia Deetz

Chapter 1 Link

(Beetlejuice Beetlejuice spoilers⚠️)

Chapter 6

“I killed you twice! How do you keep coming back?!” Yelled Betelgeuse as he, Lydia, and Astrid made their way down the stairs.

“When you want revenge anything is possible.” Delores answered in her heavy Italian accent. From behind her Samantha appeared.

“I’m sorry Astrid.” She whimpered, her makeup smudged like she had been crying.

“What did you do?!” Astrid questioned her.

“We had a seance and she appeared asking for someone named Betelgeuse.” She explained in a small voice. At the sound of his name, Betelgeuse shrieked and covered his head. “Don’t say that!”

“Just get out of here Sam!” Astrid ordered her. “She killed them Astrid…” The young girl told her. “What?!” Astrid couldn’t believe it. Only a few weeks ago she had seen the Samantha and her friends walking around town, now they were dead.

“Go! Hurry!” Astrid insisted. She nodded her head and turned to run, but Delores grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.

“I don’t think so.” She pulled the girl close and began stealing her soul. You could see it in the air as it slowly left her body. “No!” Astrid screamed as Delores dropped Samantha’s shrunken body onto the ground. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Samantha and her friends always bullied her, but she never wanted them to die like that.

Delores turned back to Betelgeuse and took a step forward, her arms outstretched. “Come here, darling. Give me a kiss.”

Lydia stepped forward in front of Betelgeuse. “No fucking way!” Betelgeuse’s lips curled into a proud smile and tears formed at the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t believe she was actually defending him.

“You! I know who you are. You are the woman my husband thinks he is in love with.” Delores said, pointing at Lydia.

“I ain’t in love with you! You killed me remember?” Betelgeuse shot back.

“Yes, but you killed me before I got what I wanted and nothing is going to stop me from getting it now.” She declared, taking another step forward.

“No you’re not!” Lydia shouted standing her ground even though Delores did intimidate her a little. Astrid stepped forward as well.

“You know you’re beginning to bug me.” Delores glared at Lydia and with a wave of her hand she sent her flying across the room and into the wall.

“Lydia!” Betelgeuse cried as he watched her slide down the wall and onto the floor, lying there unconscious.

“Astrid, go help your mom! I’ll take care of her.” He told Astrid, turning to Delores his eyes flashing dangerously at his ex wife.

“Two can play at this game.” He growled, snapping his fingers making two black and white striped pythons appear and wrap themselves around her legs, quickly slithering their way up towards her neck hissing loudly at her as they went. She didn’t appear frightened in the least, instead she pulled them off of her and tossed them into the air, turning them into hawks instead.

“Get them!” She ordered them sending them in Lydia and Astrid’s direction. Betelgeuse waved his hand once more making a bolt of lightning shoot through window striking both the birds dead.

This wasn’t working, Betelgeuse thought. He had to figure out a way to get rid of her once and for all. Chopping her up and having her get eaten by the sandworm didn’t work. What would?

His looked around the room for something, anything that might help him defeat her. His eyes fell upon the fireplace. He smiled. Fire! That’s it!

Suddenly, the fireplace lit up with bright green flames. “There’s only one way to get rid of a witch like you. Burn em.” He retorted sending a fireball in her direction. It missed her by mere inches crashing into the wall beside them instead. Quickly the fire spread across the wall and up the curtains.

He sent another one flying her way, but she dodged that too, then another, and soon the whole room was alight with flames. “Oh come on!” He groaned, punching the air in disgust.

“Enough!” Delores uttered pushing her hands towards him, there was a loud bang, and Betelgeuse was knocked off his feet. He sat up, letting out a sigh, his shoulders slumping in defeat. Maybe he should just let her take his soul and get it over with? He thought feeling hopeless. No, then she would just move on to someone else probably Lydia and Astrid. He had to end this, but how?

Betelgeuse looked up at the ceiling praying for an answer. He noticed the beams beginning to snap and more of the second floor becoming exposed with each passing second. Thats when it hit him. If this didn’t work, he didn’t know what would, but it was worth a shot.

“BJ! We have to get out of here.” Astrid called out, her voice sounding muffled and distant. He looked over at her and shook his head. From his expression she could tell just what he was thinking.

“No! No! You can’t!” She pleaded, tears streaming down her face. Betelgeuse gave her one of his usual smiles, the ones he usually gets when he’s planning on doing something mischievous, and winked at her. Before she could say anything else, he snapped his fingers making her and Lydia disappear.

He slowly rose up from the floor, dusting himself off. Betelgeuse and Delores now stood face to face in the center of the room. “Now, you are mine.” She spoke in a low triumphant voice, leaning towards him.

“I will never be yours, but we started this together and now we’re gonna finish it together. Arrivederci bitch!” Her eyes widened looking both confused and frightened as Betelgeuse took her in his arms and kissed her. She tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let her go. She wanted to scream, but his lips were pressed hard against her’s. It was like time had slowed down as little by little the house fell down around them, the wood creaked loudly like it was letting out one final scream, and then collapsed.

Lydia and Astrid watched on the lawn as what was left on their house went up in flames, reduced to nothing, gone along with Betelgeuse. They stood there in silence, holding each other.

Clouds appeared overhead but instead of snow, it brought a heavy rain. Before long the flames had died out, leaving nothing but ashes behind. Lydia got up and ran over towards the pile of charred wood that was once the ghost house. Desperately she searched for Betelgeuse throwing aside anything that got in her way.

“Where is he?!”

“He’s gone, mom.” Astrid put her hand on her mother’s shoulder trying to comfort her.

“He can’t be!” She sobbed pushing aside another board. Underneath, she spotted something with black and white stripes and picked it up. It was his jacket. It was a little burnt, but still remained intact. She held it close for a moment thinking about him.

Maybe if she called him? That always worked, she thought. “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!” She waited and looked around, but there was nothing. She half expected to hear his voice call out, saying something like “Gotcha didn’t I?” but he didn’t. He was gone.

She was about to give up when Astrid called her attention to something lying on the grass across from them. She could just make out the hints of green in his hair in the dark.

They quickly darted towards him hoping he was all right. They saw that he had several cuts across his face and his shirt was torn in several places. “BJ?” Lydia whispered, gently pushing the hair out of his face. He remained quiet and motionless.

“Betelgeuse?” Nothing.

Astrid placed her hand over her mouth.

“This isn’t funny. Wake up.” Lydia implored her voice cracking, nudging him. Still nothing.

Astrid was right. He’s gone, this time for good. She could feel her heart ache the longer she looked at him. Seeing him like this felt so wrong. He always had so much energy, so much life. Did Delores steal his soul? She wondered, holding his hand. For so many years she feared his return and now she can’t picture life without him. She never even got to tell him how she really felt.

Carefully, she leaned over him, their faces so close that if he could breathe she would feel it, instead all she could feel was the cold dampness coming up from the ground. “I love you Betelgeuse.” She spoke in a soft voice, hoping that somehow, somewhere he would hear her. Then she placed her lips gently upon his, lingering there for a few seconds before turning away and closing her eyes, unable to look at him for another second.

“Lyds?” A familiar voice spoke. A voice that wasn’t her’s or Astrid’s. She opened her eyes and saw Betelgeuse looking up at her, only he looked different than he had a couple minutes ago. He had messy blonde hair, blue eyes, and was no longer pale and dead looking with mold all over him. Did true love’s kiss work after all?

She let out a gasp and pulled him into a hug. “I thought I lost you.” She cried into his shoulder.

“It’d take a lot more than that to get rid of me babes.” She noticed her voice wasn’t as gruff as it used to be.

Slowly they got up off the ground, still holding on to each other. Lydia took a moment to examine his features. Betelgeuse felt his cheeks becoming hot under her gaze. “Whatddya think?” He asked nervously. She tilted her head and gently stroked the side of his face. He leaned into her hand and placed a quick kiss on her palm.

“Does this mean you’re mortal again?” She asked.

“I think so. There’s one way to find out.” Lydia immediately caught on to what he meant. She was hesitant at first. She didn’t want him to go.

“It’ll be ok.” He assured her. She quickly looked at Astrid, who gave her a slight nod to continue.

“Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice…” They all held their breath as she spoke it one more time. “Beetlejuice.” Nothing happened. He didn’t disappear or change. It was finally over.

He let out a sigh of relief. No longer would he disappear if someone said his name too many times and he was going to test that even further with Lydia later. Right now, he would settle for another kiss. One he would actually be awake for.

Gently, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. Lydia could feel blush forming on her face as they stared into each other’s eyes. “I love you.” He told her, planting a kiss on her lips. His lips felt just as soft as they did the first time she kissed him, only warmer. Lydia slowly ran her hands up his chest and around his neck, deepening the kiss. He let out a soft moan as she did so. How long he waited for this moment to finally be able to kiss her.

Astrid suddenly felt awkward and looked away, fiddling with her phone instead trying to let them have their moment. They deserved it after all. Finally Betelgeuse and Lydia had their happy ending.

“Wanna get hitched babe?” Betelgeuse asked when they had to stop for air. Lydia chuckled and kissed him again. Same old Betelgeuse. “Hell yeah!”

the end

(tag list: @msshadows97 )

#that’s it #hope you enjoyed it #long chapter #beetlejuice #beetlejuice x lydia #beetlejuice beetlejuice spoilers #spoilers #keatlejuice

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tk-duveraun · 8 months ago

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15/? Luo Binghe is SO NORMAL about Shen Yuan

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 (here), 16

Read up through even numbered parts on Ao3

[Objective Complete: Rendezvous with Shen Qingchun.]

I fucking know, Luo Binghe directed at the System even as he slashed at the Black Moon Rhinoceros-Python. Small spatial rifts cut through the clearing, hovering in the air and buzzing like a combination of bees and bad dial-up. Functionally, the tears served as atom-thin blades removing chunks of whatever passed through them. They didn't last long, but they were easily the deadliest thing in Jue Di Gorge.

Shen Yuan fought alongside him. His guan was missing a chunk and a thick lock of hair ended at his shoulder from the rifts. Worse, his eyes were bloodshot and his upper lip stained from a nosebleed, but he'd had those when arrived in the clearing and jumped off of Xiu Ya.

Luo Binghe lost a chunk of his bicep and his leg burned with venom, but finally the beast was dead. He shoved a mediocre panacea in his mouth and approached Shen Yuan to check on his injuries.

[Quest "Pledges of Frost and Flame" Updated! Objective: Survive.]

The System text froze Luo Binghe with his hand outstretched. With effort, he tore his eyes away from where Shen Yuan was panting and clutching his chest to look directly at the System display. What do you mean survive? What kind of objective is that?

[Answering Host: When not debuffed by status effect "Without a Cure" Shen Qingchun's power level easily eclipses that of Luo Baixiao]

Luo Binghe barely managed to dodge Xia Ya in his shock. The blade cut a thin line over the bridge of his nose. He jumped back, holding up Zheng Yang in defense even as his thoughts spun.

"Shizun, why? Surely you don't think that I-" He had to cut himself off to dodge another thrust.

Though not poisoned, Shen Yuan was clearly debuffed by something. Luo Binghe shouldn't have been able to dodge the Sword of Qing Jing at his level, strongest disciple or no.

Shen Yuan was still panting. He clutched his right bicep with his left arm, his hand leaving bloody creases. A thin stream of blood leaked from his right eye. When he spoke, his teeth were bloody. "Run, Disciple Luo. Run!"

Luo Binghe blocked a strike from Xiu Ya, the impact rattling his entire body. Zheng Yang screeched in protest at being used against Xiu Ya. Luo Binghe wholeheartedly agreed, but he also didn't want to die.

Despite bleeding from several orifices, it didn't look like Shen Yuan was undergoing a qi deviation, but he definitely wasn't in control of his actions.

"Shizun what's wrong?" Luo Binghe asked as he tried to make space between them. From his time reading IRS and then the years spent as a personal disciple he knew he had to stay at mid-range. If he went too far from Shen Yuan, his master would transition to using sword seals and qi techniques. He was called the Sword, but his offensive power was primarily long range with Liu Qingge or Wei Qingwei dealing with the opposition up close.

Shen Yuan closed the gap with a vicious overhead strike that Luo Binghe only just blocked in time.

"I told you to run!"

That close, Luo Binghe saw that the blood vessels hadn't just burst in Shen Yuan's eyes, but they wiggled and writhed gruesomely against the whites. His horror was so great that his concentration wavered and Xiu Ya broke through his guard, slashing deep into his shoulder, breaking his collarbone and rupturing the top of rupturing the top of his left lung.

For a moment, his vision blacked out and all Luo Binghe could see was the System blinking at him.

[Quest Objective: Survive]

The text morphed from a bright cyan to a blinding red as the characters swirled and then melted across his vision. He tasted blood. His muscles tore under his skin like cheap cotton. He only realized he was screaming when his voice gave out and he spat out what felt like a gallon of blood.

Luo Binghe came back to himself on his hands and knees in a puddle of blood. But his hands were wrong. They weren't his or Luo Baixiao's. His fingers were black and tipped with sharp claws that glittered with blood. He tried to send a thread of qi through his body to triage his condition, but it hurt like acid injected directly into his veins.

Focus brat, the seal locking away your demonic heritage is broken. Meng Mo's voice had never before been comforting, but any kind of answer in this situation was a blessing. You'll go into qi deviation and die if you're not careful. Few half-demons survive this, do you plan to be one?

Luo Binghe clenched his teeth and nodded silently to the demon in his head. He took a deep breath and then raised his head.

Only for the sight to make him spit another mouthful of blood.

Across the clearing, Shen Yuan was pinned to a tree by Xiu Ya. The gorgeous blade was pierced through his stomach. He was bleeding from all of his seven orifices, but despite everything his expression was grimly satisfied.

Luo Binghe tried to take a step toward his beloved only to feel like there was a collar around him neck yanking him back. He glanced over his shoulder and saw that a massive gash had opened in the ground under the corpse of the Rhinoceros-Python. The Endless Abyss had opened. He was well and truly in the climax of the arc but unlike Snowballing, he couldn't just jump to another POV.

With a howl, Luo Binghe fought the tether holding him back and surged toward Shen Yuan, collapsing on the ground at his master's feet. He lifted his hands and let them hover on either side of Xiu Ya.

"Shizun… who… how..?"

"Nevermind that, listen to this Master," Shen Yuan said around the blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. His perfect, blood-stained hands reached down and cupped Luo Binghe's cheeks. "The sect masters won't stand idly by." Each word was a struggle.

"Save your energy! This is, this- Mu-shishu will be able to heal you fully, Shizun." So close, Luo Binghe was able to better-judge the placement of Xiu Ya. While it was a horrible sight, it seemed like it could be at the perfect angle to have avoided all of Shen Yuan's major organs. It was just a macabre taunt.

"Listen!" Shen Yuan's hands tightened on Luo Binghe's face. "My little demon… Disciple Luo is part Heavenly Demon. They will kill you on sight. The barriers surrounding the gorge were reinforced." Shen Yuan turned his head to spit more blood before continuing. "The only way out is down. Go into the Endless Abyss."

Some part of Luo Binghe suspected that Luo Baixiao had survived the conference by exiting stage Abyss, but the order still struck him cold.

"Shizun, I-"

"No, listen." Shen Yuan panted heavily, his strength draining quickly from the wound in his stomach. "There's a sword, Xin Mo, in the Abyss. You need it to kill him. Linguang-jun. Get it and be free, my little demon."

"Shizun, please! At least let me-"

"There's no time." More blood leaked from Shen Yuan's eyes. It looked like he was crying. "Save us both."

Luo Binghe felt Shen Yuan gather what remained of his spiritual energy, but he could do nothing to resist the sharp push that launched him back and into the crack in reality. As he fell, the sky disappeared above him.

#svsss #so normal au

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solisitude · 7 months ago

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oh my god any black sisters hcs?? pls?? they're so underrated i fear

now THIS is a damn good ask anon THANK YOU for this. and you bet your ass i have some good ones for them.

narcissa black headcanons

has always been very tall

has very fragile bones but has never so much as sprained an ankle

exceptionally smart in arthimacy

never rushes about. she is always perfectly calm

values punctuality

has an appreciation for early muggle fashion

bruises very easily

would not be caught dead with her hair in a ponytail

cries very silently and stoically

hates the feeling of chapped lips

has a secret sweet tooth

something of a teachers pet even if she was never in the absolute top of her class

admired by most younger year slytherin girls

always has her nails done. always french tips.

fidgets with a dragonfly pendant she always wears when she's nervous

cried herself to sleep every night for the first week at hogwarts because she was scared

really wanted to try out for the quidditch team but was forbidden from doing so because her mother said it was "unbecoming of a lady"

sometimes when she's comfortable she will hum a lullaby andromeda used to sing to her

has a frankly unnerving stare

the only indication that she is irritated is a slight purse of her lips

very used to getting her way

does not talk about her emotions very easily

very interested in wizarding politics and reads the daily prophet every morning

is often underestimated and uses it to her advantage

andromeda black headcanons

the original white sheep of the black family

despite her upbringing she has never felt superior to anyone because of her blood status

has always had a bit of a soft spot for narcissa

smokes occasionally

was vehemently against the concept of marriage until she met ted

she's the one that proposed

"hey ted. let's get married." "okay meda, whatever you want"

and they just did it

can pack a mean right hook

enjoys reading muggle feminist literature in her spare time

always has her hair in a kind of messy updo

has a lot of friends who she genuinely cares about

tried to talk to narcissa after she was disowned but narcissa ignored her

buys sirius a christmas gift every year

was the first person sirius told about his crush on remus

is incapable of sitting in a chair properly. always has a leg propped up or her back on the armrest

does not enjoy solitude

does not cry often

took sirius to his first tattoo appointment

her love language is acts of service

tried to stay at hogwarts for as many holidays as she could

blushes very easily

bellatrix black headcanons

oldest black cousin

uses her wand to tie up her hair often similar to how sirius ties his up

sharp witted and quick to retort

dresses in all black always

cackles instead of laughs

used to lock andromeda and narcissa in her room when she was 12 and they thought it was a joke but she'd to it only when she knew their father was drunk and violent so they'd be spared

sneaks out after curfew to walk in the forbidden forest

started studying black magic at a very early age because she wanted to be powerful

can not eat spicy food

once hexed a boy's fist into his own mouth because he tried to touch her without permission

picks at the chapped skin on her lips when she's bored

often created her own spells and practised them on younger years

was extremely prideful and vain

did not like either of the black brothers and saw them as competition

has a pet ball python she keeps on her neck

#i have the most for narcissa bc i love her sm #harry potter #hp #slytherin #the black sisters #narcissa black #narcissa malfoy #andromeda black #andromeda tonks #bellatrix black #bellatrix lestrange #marauders headcanon #anon #asks #sheba asks

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the-girl-who-didnt-smile · 8 months ago

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Sir Duke (Hazbin Hotel)

“Sir Duke” is a character inspired by “Daniel Blanc” of New Orleans Voudou. This is just a rough concept.

Commentary below.

“Sir Duke” is inspired by the divine serpent of Louisiana Voudou, who is referred to as “Daniel Blanc”, “Blanc Dani” and “Monsieur Danny” in the historical record. Along with “Papa Lébat”, “Daniel Blanc” was one of the most important deities worshiped in Louisiana Voudou of the 19th century. He is derived from the category of West African serpent divinities called “Dan” (“Da”). The lwa Damballah of Haitian Vodou is related to but different from “Daniel Blanc”.

“Sir Duke” is named after the song by Stevie Wonder. Where “Big Papa” is also called “The Doorkeeper”, “Sir Duke” is also called “Grandfather Serpent”. This is a tribute to how “Daniel Blanc” seems to have also been called “Grandfather Rattlesnake”(“Ole Gran'daddy Rattlesnake”, see Alicia Owen’s (1893) Voodoo Tales) by African Americans in Missouri. Worship of the divine serpent was such a prominent feature of Mississippi River Valley Voudou that snake imagery persisted in the African American Spiritualist Churches.

The true form of “Sir Duke” is a giant white snake; the snake’s tail is much longer than shown. At that, he can grow or shrink the length of his body at will. The appearance of his serpentine form is inspired by the artwork of Beninese artist Cyprien Tokoudagba, where the snake’s eye are supposed to resemble the painting Vodoun Dangbé. I want his snake form to look like a cross between a white-lipped Python and a Black mamba. He needs to be rendered in enough detail to show that the shape of his head is a python, not a venomous snake. His color must be white, as the color white was associated with Daniel Blanc.

Previously, I stated that “ideally he should have iridescent stripes of rainbow scales down his back [to make him] resemble Tokoudagba’s painting Dan Houèdo, and the sculpture featured at Temple des Pythons (Dangbé-Xwé) at Ouidah, Benin.” I changed my mind about this, as I am unsure whether “Daniel Blanc” was the rainbow-serpent Dan Aïdo Hwèdo (Anyi-ewo) or a different divine serpent, namely Danh-gbi. To my knowledge, all that is known about “Daniel Blanc” is that he was associated with the color white; no mention of rainbows. Elements of Dan Aïdo Hwèdo are still present in “Sir Duke”, but he should probably just be a pure white snake, as a tribute to Daniel Blanc.

To shapeshift between his naga and serpent forms, he folds his arms into his body and curls inwards; his upper human half is the inside of the snake’s mouth, where his eyes are his gold fangs. There is no venom in his fangs, and he only displays them if he has to fight another lesser god. Because this scenario is by definition impossible, he never displays his fangs.

He has a snake form, a naga form, and a fully human form. In that last form, he wears an extremely expensive white and gold suit, making him look like a foreign King or Prince. This is how this man dresses when he goes to the convenience store… He is the ultimate Gentle Man. However, he doesn’t often like assuming a fully human form, because human legs feel weird.

If any one of these characters should get the twinkification treatment, it should be him, but I totally think he should be nicer Doctor Manhattan. I want him to look like he can beat your ass, he just chooses not to. If you go down the twinkification road, he has to be the most beautiful and twinkiest of them all!

In terms of personality, he is the opposite of “Big Papa”, where he has the least interest in human lives. He secludes himself in a pocket dimension populated by himself and a garden full of magic, rainbow colored plants. Gentle and nonviolent, he is the oldest and wisest of his siblings. Because he was made first, he has some features his siblings do not, and is the most powerful one in terms of raw potential. However, he is actually the least powerful one in practice, as he is crippled by his abysmally low ‘RUTHLESSNESS’ stat.

He is the fastest of his siblings, but because he is so conflict-avoidant he only ever uses this power to run away from battle.

Sir Duke is completely mute. He does not talk, but communicates with sentient life forms telepathically. I was picturing this effect as multiple voices appearing in a person’s head; a combination of male and female voices, to represent his sexual completeness. Tentatively, I was picturing it being four voices, to symbolize the four fundamental forces (gravity, electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions), but the number of voices is subject to change.

Where “Big Papa” is associated with dogs, “Sir Duke” is associated with snakes. In addition to telepathy, he also communicates by speaking through the mouths of nagas and snakes. When he speaks through a snake, you hear his multiple voices, as with telepathy. When he speaks through a naga, they speak in their own voice but in his calm and ancient style of speech. Their eyes also change to match his, as he has taken complete control over their body.

Sir Duke is not actually a psychic, but Lord of Thermodynamics. He communicates telepathically by controlling thermodynamics inside the human brain. This works on all similar structures, and is not limited to organic matter. It works on most everything that is sentient.

For this reason, Sir Duke wins all psychic battles. If fighting a human foe, he rapidly converts all chemical energy stored within the brain into kinetic energy, creating a near-instantaneous explosion.

His garden was not grown from seeds, but from him transforming photons into electrons and quarks, and converting light into chemical energy.

This is one of many examples of how this man completely underutilizes the God-like power he was granted.

Sir Duke rules over the human nervous system because of the association between the divine serpent Da and the cerebrospinal axis.

The following is an excerpt from the writings of Milo Rigaud. While it is not entirely scientifically accurate, it remains an intriguing historical document:

ORIGINE SCIENTIFIQUE DE DANBHALAH

L'origine scientifique de la couleuvre explique alors le comportement rituel du mystère Danbhalah, tout en montrant la vertu du parfum de Madeleine (qui est aussi le parfum d'Erzulie).

<<La couleuvre dans notre organisme, écrit Holly, c'est le fluide nervo-magnétique qui régit le système neuro-cardio-musculaire. Ce fluide est générateur de mouvement et de sensations. De là le culte (voudoo) où dominent les danses, les chants au son du tambour dont les coups de baguettes font naître des états d'âme reflétant les degrés divers de la possession et l'exaltation mystiques ... Là, les parfums et les essences aromatiques éveillent la passion... II est avéré que l'expression la plus élémentaire, la forme organique la plus simple sous laquelle la vie universelle se manifeste, c'est l'animalcule de la semence fécondatrice, lequel a la forme générale de la couleuvre. La forme embryonnaire de cet animalcule chez tous les êtres vertébrés, c'est l'axe céphalo-rachidien. Enlevez du cordon de la moelle tous les nerfs efférents et afférents et l'on se trouve alors en présence du spermatozoïde évolué, en présence de la couleuvre de vie, du serpent Da adoré au temple voudoo>>.

Les vertèbres de couleuvre représentent donc Danhhalah sur l'asson des houn'gan et des mam'bo, tandis que l'axe céphalo-rachidien ainsi que la semence fécondatrice qui fait de Legba un mystère phallique sont représentés par le poteau du péristyle.

TRANSLATION:

The scientific origin of the snake explains the ritual behavior of the mystère Damballah, while showing the virtue of Madeleine’s perfume (which is also the perfume of Erzulie).

“The snake in our organism”, writes Holly, “is the cerebrospinal fluid that rules the neuromuscular system. This fluid is the generator of movement and sensations. Hence the cult (Vodou) that is dominated by dances, the songs to the sound of the drum whose beats of the stick give rise to states of mind reflecting the diverse degrees of possession and mystical exaltation… There, the perfumes and aromatic essences arouse passion… It is proven that the most elementary expression, the most simple organic form under which life itself manifests, is the animalcule of the fertilizing seed, which has the general form of a snake. The embryonic form of this animalcule in all vertebrate beings is the cerebrospinal axis. Remove from the spinal cord all the efferent and afferent nerves and one is then in the presence of the evolved spermatozoon, in the presence of the snake of life, of the serpent Da worshiped in the Vodou temple.”

The vertebrae of the snake therefore represent Damballah on the asson of the houngan and the mambo, while the cerebrospinal axis as well as the fertilizing seed which makes Legba a phallic mystère are represented on the poteau of the péristyle.

SOURCE: Rigaud, Milo. La tradition voudoo et le voudoo haïtien: son temple, ses mystères, sa magie. FeniXX, 1953. https://original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu/AA00002240/00001/295j

Sir Duke is associated with snakes, as the snakes symbolize the cerebrospinal axis and the strings in String Theory.

Sir Duke’s characterization is inspired by Alfred Burton Ellis’ (1890) The Ewe-Speaking People’s of the Slave Coast of West Africa.

“Big Papa” is a composite character who merges elements from divinities in the Esu-Elegbara collective, especially Papa Lebat of New Orleans Voudou and the Hoodoo Spirit at the Crossroads; “Lady Love” is a composite character who merges elements from the Ezili famille of Haitian Vodou, especially Erzulie Freda and Erzulie Dantor. Likewise, “Sir Duke” is a composite character who draws from the category of West African divine serpents that were referred to as “Danh”, especially Danh-gbi and Anyi-Ewo (Aido-Wedo) (Aïdo-wedo )

The divine serpent Dan (Da) is not one but multiple divinities, as the term dañh or dà simply means “snake”.

As Ellis explains:

“…Most travellers in West Africa have called [Anyi-Ewo] Dañh ; but dà (as the word is pronounced by the western Ewe tribes) or dañh (as it is pronounced by the eastern) means any snake, and not the rainbow snake alone…”

SOURCE: Ellis, Alfred Burdon. The Eʻwe-speaking Peoples of the Slave Coast of West Africa: Their Religion, Manners, Customs, Laws, Languages, &c. United Kingdom, Chapman and Hall, limited, 1890. p. 48. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_E%CA%BBwe_speaking_Peoples_of_the_Slave/Ak9M8SXJlekC?hl=en&gbpv=0

Two of the most important divine serpents to enslaved Ewe-Speaking peoples were Danh-gbi and Anyi-Ewo. In real life, Temple des Pythons (Dangbé-Xwé) of Ouidah, Benin honors Danh-gbi (Dangbé).

Sir Duke’s wise and gentle nature, ability to grow his tail, and garden (which should actually resemble a forest) are inspired by the following description of Danh-gbi:

Danh-gbi = This deity is the python, which is worshipped in the kingdom of Dahomi, especially at Whydah ; at Agweh, at Great and Little Popo , and in the kingdom of Porto Novo. Dañh, as has been before said, means snake," and gbi or gbe is a contraction of agbi, " life," so that the name Dañh-gbi, implies " Life-giving snake." The snake itself is not worshipped, butrather its indwelling spirit ; the outward form of the python being considered the manifestation of the god…

The popular idea is that he is hidden in a gigantic tree, which is growing somewhere in the depths of a vast forest . Every morning the snake climbs to the topmost branch of the tree, wraps his tail round it , and hangs head downwards towards the earth, to measure his length . When he has grown long enough to touch the ground, he will be able to reach the sky and climb up into it.Dañh-gbi is the god of wisdom, and of earthly bliss . He is also the benefactor of mankind , for the first man and woman that came into the world were blind, and mankind would have been blind to this day had not Dañh-gbi opened their eyes. The white ants are his messengers, and their nests may often be seen sur- rounded with palm-leaves , to show that they are in his service…

Dañh- gbi has his special offerings, iron rods bent so as to give the appearance of the serpentine curves or concentric folds of a snake, and a rude, bell- shaped image of iron. These are considered representations of Dañh-gbi, the former representing the male python , and the latter the female, and are constantly to be seen on the shores of lagoons, the banks of streams , or near springs or pools, for the god loves the neighbourhood of water…

Unlike the variety of boa which is regarded as the messenger of the rainbow-god [Anyi-Ewo] , certain individuals only of which are to be treated with respect, every python of the Dañh-gbi kind must be treated with the utmost veneration, wherever met…

SOURCE: Ellis, Alfred Burdon. The Eʻwe-speaking Peoples of the Slave Coast of West Africa: Their Religion, Manners, Customs, Laws, Languages, &c. United Kingdom, Chapman and Hall, limited, 1890. pp. 54-63. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_E%CA%BBwe_speaking_Peoples_of_the_Slave/Ak9M8SXJlekC?hl=en&gbpv=0 Sir Duke’s reclusiveness and association with rainbows is inspired by the following description of Anyi-Ewo:

Anyi-Ewo = rainbow-god, who manifests himself in the form of a serpent, and only appears, it is believed, when he is thirsty and requires water…

…His proper name is Anyi-eŵo -anyi (lower part, or underneath) , ewo (a large snake)-" Great snake of the Underneath ," because he ordinarily lives underneath , or over the edge of the world , and only comes up into the sky when thirsty. In Whydah and Porto Novo be appears to have another name, which Captain Burton writes Aydo-whe- do, and the French missionaries Aïdo- wedo and Aïdo - Khouédo. This , I believe , has the same meaning as Anyi-ewo, which is the name by which the god is universally known by the western tribes ; but as I have lost a vocabulary I had collected of words of the eastern dialect, I am unable to speak positively. Speak- ing from memory, I think that Aido-wedo is a corruption of Aïdó-ewo-dò : aï (earth, or under-part), dó (edge) , ewo (a large snake) , dò (large) , and hence means, " The great snake of the under- edge.”…

The temples of Anyi-ewo are usually painted with the colours of the rainbow, in stripes, and in the middle of the prism a snake is often rudely drawn. His messenger is a small variety of the boa, but only such individual snakes of this kind as are declared by the priests to be his messengers are free from molestation , and all others may be killed with impunity…

SOURCE: Ellis, Alfred Burdon. The Eʻwe-speaking Peoples of the Slave Coast of West Africa: Their Religion, Manners, Customs, Laws, Languages, &c. United Kingdom, Chapman and Hall, limited, 1890. pp. 47-49. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_E%CA%BBwe_speaking_Peoples_of_the_Slave/Ak9M8SXJlekC?hl=en&gbpv=0

SEE ALSO: Hebblethwaite, Benjamin. A Transatlantic History of Haitian Vodou: Rasin Figuier, Rasin Bwa Kayiman, and the Rada and Gede Rites. United States, University Press of Mississippi, 2021.

I decided to merge elements from Danh-gbi and Anyi-ewo into a single character, as I am not actually sure which one can be properly identified with “Daniel Blanc”.

Evidence that Danh-gbi or Aido-wedo (Anyi-ewo) was worshiped as a separate divinity from Damballah can be found in George W. Cable’s (1887) The Grandissimes, where “Monsieur Danny” and “Monsieur D’Embarras” are both named as two different “imps”. Although it is a fictional work, it is likely that the divinities described in The Grandissimes correspond with spirits that were actually worshiped in Louisiana Voudou. The “Danny” in “Monsieur Danny” is likely derived from dañh, while the “D’Embarras” in “Monsieur D’Embarras” is likely derived from Dambara / Dambarah, an alternative spelling of Danbalah*.

SOURCE: Cable, George W. The Grandissimes: A Story of Creole Life. United States, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1887. p.94 https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Grandissimes_A_Story_of_Creole_Life/xuYhgJXZIkUC?hl=en&gbpv=0

*See: Rigaud, Milo. La tradition voudoo et le voudoo haïtien: son temple, ses mystères, sa magie. FeniXX, 1953. p. 422. Retrieved from: https://dloc.com/AA00002240/00001/images/425

Another piece of evidence comes from Helen Pitkin’s (1904) An Angel in Brevet. Much like Cable, Pitkin was careful in her research, and similarly describes “Blanc Dani” (identified with St. Michael) and “Dambarra Soutons” as two separate divinities.

SOURCE: Schertz, Helen Pitkin. An Angel by Brevet: A Story of Modern New Orleans. United Kingdom, J.B. Lippincott, 1904. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/books/edition/An_Angel_by_Brevet/35PUAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

“Monsieur Danny” / “Blanc Dani” certainly had a real-life counterpart in “Daniel Blanc”, who was identified with St. Michael.

From the Federal Writer’s Project interview with the 75-year old Mary Washington (“Mary Ellis”), who was born in 1863*:

“That’s all I can remember. Marie Laveau used to call St. Peter somethin’ like ‘Laba.’ She called St. Michael ‘Daniel Blanc,’ and St. Anthony ‘Yon Sue.’ There was another one she called ‘On Za Tier’; I think that was St. Paul. I never did know where them names come from. They sounded Chinee to me. You know the Chinee emperor sent her a shawl? She wore it all the time, my aunt told me.”

SOURCE: Source: Tallant, Robert. Voodoo in New Orleans. 1946. Reprint, Gretna, La.: United Kingdom, Pelican Publishing Company, 1983.:

*Age and date of birth described in: Long, Carolyn Morrow. A New Orleans voudou priestess: The legend and reality of Marie Laveau. University Press of Florida, 2007.

Although Helen Pitkin’s and George Cable’s novels are both fictional works, both authors appear to have carefully researched the names of these spirits. It seems likely that there existed a real-life counterpart to “Monsieur D’Embarras” / “Dambarra Soutons”, who was distinct from “Daniel Blanc”.

In Haiti, the male lwa Damballah Wedo is paired with the female lwa Aida Wedo. Notably, Damballah is not identified with St. Michael, but St. Patrick*.

*See: Herskovits, M. J. (1937). Life in a Haitian valley.

It seems only one of these divine serpents appears in mythology of Missouri Voudou: Ole Gran'daddy Rattlesnake. Interestingly, there is a myth wherein “Gran'daddy Rattlesnake” had a twin sister, who he killed in a fit of rage, by turning her into snakeweed. In another account, “Gran'daddy Rattlesnake” is the father of a pair of twins, a boy and a girl; it is the son - not “Gran’daddy” himself - who kills the twin sister. This is similar to how Danh-gbi is represented by a pair of male and female snakes, and how Aido-Wedo has a female counterpart in Aida-Wedo.

See: Owen, Mary Alicia. Voodoo Tales: As Told Among the Negroes of the Southwest. United States, Putnam's Sons, 1893. pp.257-258 Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Voodoo_Tales/H_kLAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

It seems that Daniel Blanc is distinct from Damballah, but I am actually not entirely certain if he is derived from Danh-gbi or Dan Aïdo Hwèdo (Anyi-ewo). In the present day, ball pythons (the snake identified with Danh-gbi) are a prominent feature of celebrations in Congo Square, New Orleans; however, Ava Kay Jones was famously photographed with a boa constrictor (the snake identified with Anyi-ewo). This, too, adds to my uncertainty.

It is plausible that worshipers of both Danh-gbi and Anyi-ewo were present in Louisiana. Taking all of this into account, I ultimately decided to merge the divine serpents into a single character. Alternatively, it may be better to split “Sir Duke” into two separate characters: a male and female naga, who are wedded to each other. For now, I have merged both into a single character, as nonfiction sources only describe a single serpent-related divinity worshiped by followers of Marie Laveau: “Daniel Blanc”, identified with St. Michael.

SEE: Anderson, Jeffrey E.. Voodoo: An African American Religion. United States, LSU Press, 2024.

Tentatively, Sir Duke speaks with three male voices and one female. The female voice represents the female serpent and the force of gravity; the male voices represent the other three fundamental forces.

In addition to manipulating thermodynamics and vibrational strings, he has some other insane power that I have not defined yet… it might be that he has the power to rewrite the laws of physics itself…

He uses this power to run away really fast… All of his powers are completely squandered on him.

You know what… I misspoke. This is a snake who sticks to his principles of non violence, refusing to buckle to what other people think of him. Good on him!

In real life, Daniel Blanc was syncretized with St. Michael. This is another reason I think “Sir Duke” makes for a fun inclusion, as I would wager that St. Michael - fated enemy of Lucifer - might appear in a later season of Hazbin Hotel.

Because he does not sing, Sir Duke plays the soprano saxophone.

IT’S GOD MODE SIDNEY BECHET.

#hazbin hotel ocs #commentary #the loa (hazbin hotel)#sir duke (hazbin hotel)#snake #DOCTOR MANHATTAN BUT NOT AN ASSHOLE!!!

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innerpalaces · 11 months ago

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THE PRINCESS WEI YANG - 185 PART 1

CHAPTER 185: Crown Prince Yongwen

Madam Guo suppressed the anger in her heart and said: "Princess Lin'an, you should give an explanation to our Guo family!"

Everyone's expressions slowly changed. They did not expect that Madam Guo would actually say such a sentence. This meant that the Guo family was infuriated by this incident. They would never allow anyone to insult the Guo Family's beloved daughter, even if it meant confronting the eldest imperial princess.

Princess Lin'an looked at Madam Guo in surprise and said, "What do you mean? Miss Guo hasn't been harmed."

Madam Guo sneered and said: "Hasn't been harmed? If it hadn't been for His Highness Prince Xu's help just now, how could she still be standing here?!"

Everyone looked at each other. Yes, if Yuan Lie hadn't come to the rescue, Guo Jia would have been swallowed by the python now. How could she stand there safely?

Princess Lin'an's expression was ugly. In her opinion, letting the python devour Li Wei Yang was the right thing to do, but when the victim came to question her, it would be outrageous. If it was anyone else who was rude, she would have ordered someone to drag them out, but the Guo Family was different. Empress Pei had repeatedly warned her not to make an enemy out of the Guo and Chen families, especially the Guo family. This family is different from the others in that they are extremely protective of their own. If you hurt their children, they will fight you tooth and nail. Thinking of this, her face turned stiff as she said, "It's just a misunderstanding..."

Guo Cheng said with a cold expression: "Misunderstanding? How can there be such a coincidence that this python chased only my sister and no one else?"

Princess Lin'an still wanted to argue, but suddenly she heard someone laughing: "It's so lively here, what happened?"

Everyone looked over when they heard the voice, and they were all stunned. The person who came was a young prince, with a white jade crown in his hair, and a black gold brocade robe with dots of white gulls on it. The collar and waist had complicated white patterns, all embroidered by hand, as skillfully as heavenly craftsmanship. With a graceful and leisurely smile on a face as handsome as if it was carved from jade, he walked in slowly. There were clearly hundreds of people in the garden, but they were all quiet and were looking at him intently. They felt that his casual words and deeds were indescribably elegant and noble and were extremely pleasing to the eye. He had inherited the Emperor's youthful style, and was worthy of being called the national treasure — Crown Prince Yongwen.

Prince Yongwen looked at the dead python in the garden. His narrow eyes were filled with cold light, but the corners of his lips were slightly raised, turning into a faint smile on his handsome face: "Imperial sister, it's so lively, why didn't you invite me?"

The smile on Lin'an's face bloomed in an instant: "Your highness, you are a rare guest, how can I disturb you for a banquet like this?"

Empress Pei did not care about how much Princess Lin'an's ate or played. She could do whatever she wanted, but she would never allow her to bring any bad influence to Prince Yongwen. Princess Lin'an knew very well that her mother's love for her was only meager, but the crown prince was everything to her. Her mother would never allow her to do anything that would affect the prince's reputation in the slightest, so no matter how lively and luxurious her place was, she never dared to invite the crown prince. But today, he came uninvited. Thinking of Yuan Yu's sudden drowning, Princess Lin'an glanced at the prince with enlightenment.

Prince Yongwen said calmly: "What's going on?"

There was a hint of hesitation on Princess Lin'an's face. Originally, she was going to use the python's madness to get rid of Li Wei Yang, but she didn't expect Grand Prince Xu to save her life, and she would get into trouble for no reason... Thinking of this, she said: "This... I specially invited everyone to watch a snake dance. Everything was fine, but for some reason the python suddenly went crazy and strangled the snake dancer alive, and even pounced on Miss Guo."

Guo Cheng smiled coldly and said: "Your Highness, the teeth of this snake have not been pulled out, and they have been smeared with poisonous powder. It is clear that it is deliberately targeting my sister. Since you are here, you should uphold justice. In your opinion, what should be done?"

Someone had already set up a brocade seat for His Imperial Highness. Prince Yongwen sat down calmly and glanced at Guo Cheng. Then, his eyes fell on the young woman next to Madam Guo. No matter how restrained the Guo usually family is, they all have angry looks on their faces at the moment, but she is the only one standing aside calmly, her eyes as bright as stars, her back straight, as if she is not at all shocked or angry. How could this be? Before he entered the mansion, he had already heard everything that happened, and he thought he would see a crying Miss Guo, but unexpectedly, the other party was too calm, which prevented him from speaking the words of comfort he originally wanted to say.

"Your Highness?"

The officials of the Crown Prince's Mansion beside him saw him staring at a woman in a daze, and couldn't help but whisper in his ear.

He suddenly came back to his senses. Knowing that he had lost his composure, he couldn't help but frown, and raised his eyes to look at her again, only to meet her cold gaze.

Although the expression on her face was normal, at that moment, he clearly saw the coldness in it - he thought it felt familiar. Who had he seen such an expression on before? He calmly moved his eyes away, glancing at everyone before looking back.

She is not very old, no more than seventeen or eighteen. Her appearance is beautiful and dignified, not stunningly gorgeous. But after being frightened by the python, she looks so calm, which shows that her courage is extraordinary. This is a big difference from the women he has seen before.

But he was sure that he had never seen her before, so why did she feel familiar?

When he raised his eyes again, he found that she was still looking at him.

Her eyes were cold, like those of a hunter sizing up his prey.

What was the matter with her?

Prince Yongwen felt strangely uneasy in his heart. When he looked at her again, she had already lowered her head slightly and looked down at her skirt. Her expression was focused and he didn't know what she was thinking.

This woman... is really interesting.

Prince Yongwen loved beauties, so he admired Izumo who grew in the mud and yet remained unsullied, and he also spent some effort to get her. However, when necessary, he could also kill beauties, throw away thousands of gold, and seize powe. So whether it's Izumo or Yuan Yu, if they threaten him, they will naturally disappear from this world. However, he realized that something was amiss. How would Yuan Yu know that he and Izumo had arranged to meet at that painting boat? Someone must have notified him. So, who is this person? If Yuan Yu had known about the relationship between him and Izumo, he would not have dared to fight, and what happened later would not have happened. Therefore, this drama was just a game.

He once thought that the person who organized the plot was Princess Yongning. After all, Yuan Yu was young and relied on his appearance and power to dominate women. He thought that he could control all the women in the world, but Yongwen understood very well that there are too many powerful women in the world. For example, his mother, Empress Pei, was a very scary woman. Therefore, Yongwen first thought that Princess Yongning set up this strategy because of jealousy and wanted to take Yuan Yu's life. But soon, he changed his mind. Yongning didn't have such courage and strategy, so it must be that someone was instigating her from behind. Who could this person be?

He had been puzzled until that day when news came out about the Guo family's banquet. It turns out that Guo Jia, the daughter of the Guo family, was once the Princess Anping in Dali. An idea immediately flashed through his mind. If Guo Jia was really born in Dali, then her getting close to Princess Yongning would explain everything. But, is Guo Jia the one planning everything behind the scenes?

Prince Yongwen narrowed his eyes, lifted his chin slightly, raised the corners of his mouth, and said with a smile: "Miss Guo, were you frightened?"

Li Wei Yang said with a cold expression: "Thank you for your concern, Your Imperial Highness. If His Highness Prince Xu had not extended a helping hand in time, I would have been buried in the belly of the python. Naturally, I was greatly frightened."

At this time, wouldn't a person normally say that it doesn't matter, and then try to make the big deal out to be a trivial matter? Prince Yongwen frowned, then his expression faded, and he said with a smile: "This incident is really an accident. How about this, today we'll cooked this python to let young miss vent her anger. Lin'an, you were too reckless today. Why did you invite a snake dancer to a good banquet, frightening Miss Guo for no reason. Why don't you apologize?"

Yuan Lie glanced at Prince Yongwen and said, "Your Highness, just an apology may not be enough to calm the shock."

Prince Yongwen's eyes quickly glanced at his face, his brows furrowed slightly. He thought to himself that Prince Xu had always been indifferent, so why did he suddenly come to stir things up? He first saved Guo Jia, and now he was still speaking for her. Looking at the anger hidden in the corners of the other person's eyes, he understood it in an instant, but said: "This python is just a beast, what's the use of arguing with it?"

Yuan Lie smiled coldly, and the brilliance in his eyes was compelling: "Prince, why do you need to involve the beast? Miss Guo is a guest invited by Princess Lin'an, and the python performance is also at the princess's house. The poisonous powder on the python's teeth is not something the beast got by itself. If I do not ask the princess for an explanation, who should I demand it from?"

"I don't know who poisoned the python. Maybe it was born with it." Princess Lin'an raised her eyebrows, "What's the matter?"

This was simply acting like a scoundrel, relying on the power of the Imperial family to bully others! An angry look appeared on Madam Guo's face, and just when she was about to speak, Yuan Lie suddenly smiled and said, "Okay, since the princess said so, I will carry this python into the palace for his majesty to see."

Princess Lin'an's expression changed, and the expression on Prince Yongwen's face was also strange.

Yuan Lie walked up to Prince Yongwen with a smile on his face, but his eyes were extremely cold: "This python was originally a plaything in the princess's house. Not only did it kill the owner, but it was also born with poisonous powder. How could this be? Isn't it a wonder in the world? Besides, His Majesty has been looking for a python's guts to drink wine with, so he will surely be very happy to see this python."

Prince Yongwen looked at Yuan Lie carefully, and his smile turned cold for the first time. He had been paying attention to this person since Yuan Lie inherited the position of Grand Prince Xu, but Yuan Lie was very mysterious and low-key. He never attended any banquets and refused to stay in Dadu for more than a few days, so he didn't have much interaction with him. But he never thought that Yuan Lie would stand up for Guo Jia, and he would show his sharpness for the first time.

Their gazes met, and a contest took place between the two, but Prince Yongwen rarely avoided other's eyes. Of course, he is not afraid of Yuan Lie, but if he goes to the Emperor at this time, the Guo family is already heavy enough, but add in the Chen family over there, in addition to the rising Grand Prince Xu, nothing good can be gained. Although his father usually doesn't like to bother with such things, once he gets angry, he can be very terrifying. Even his mother will not intercede for Princess Lin'an if the Emperor's anger was aroused. Prince Yongwen glanced at Princess Lin'an with a cold look on his face. Although this sister loved to cause trouble, she could still be of help to him so he had to protect her.

Thinking of this, he smiled slightly and said, "Then according to Grand Prince Xu's wishes, what should we do?"

Yuan Lie only had a faint smile on his face and said: "That depends on what kind of compensation Madam Guo needs."

After all, Guo Jia was fine. It would not be appropriate to ask Princess Lin'an to pay for her life, but the compensation required could not be too low. Everyone looked at Madam Guo. Her usually gentle face was now full of frost, and she said word by word: "The prince is very straightforward, but our Guo family always insists on retribution. Although the princess insists that this matter has nothing to do with her, I still have to collect this interest, otherwise wouldn't my daughter's shock be in vain?"

"Of course." Prince Yongwen still smiled, and his tone was even more cheerful, "I wonder what conditions Madam Guo wants to put forward."

Madam Guo glanced at Li Wei Yang and said in a very strong tone: "Your Highness, please give an order to execute the person who proposed the snake dance performance."

Everyone was stunned. They didn't expect what she said would be this. They didn't know what to do. Jiang Nan's expression suddenly changed.

Li Wei Yang had a faint look of sadness on her face, hiding the smile in her eyes and saying nothing. Now she is not in Dali. She is the daughter of the Guo family. Naturally, she must take into account the reputation of the Guo family and maintain the demeanor of a well-bred lady at all times. She cannot act aggressively like before or it will make others say that Madam Guo had no upbringing. What's more, as a victim, the more silent you are, the safer you are. If she wants justice, with Yuan Lie and Madam Guo here, how could she be afraid of being unable to obtain it?

Get up to 30 advanced chapter parts on Patreon

#the princess wei yang

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50cal-fullauto-astarion · 2 years ago

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König HC’s ii

part one

Back in black bitches, hello again. CW: I make allusions to shooting an orangutan, but none are actually shot. Is that kind of day here at König Brainrot HQ.

Queer.

His name is Leopold Königsbacher bc I feel Leopold is a horrid name to saddle a gawky weird-ass little kid with, and it doesn’t get much better as an adult. Hates being called Leopold or Leo, someone called him Poldy once and he never talked to that person again, but he depending on the person, he will answer to Lee.

I personally see his face as looking something like Jeremy Allen White’s, but y’know. Significantly more roughed up.

Sub-point: he could honestly be any weird lookin’ white guy with creepy eyes, it doesn’t matter.

Unlike the data mined Ghost face reveal, which I love with all of my heart and keep in a locket on my neck, I can’t accept the data mined König face reveal bc it looks too much like dudes I grew up with. All I can think is, “That man has dip in his lip and a spit bottle in his shirt pocket.” Which is a shame bc it is a good face.

Callsigns as I understand them aren’t really supposed to be related to a person’s actual name, but they can be kind of mocking in nature. So I picture him getting König from his last name was intended for mockery and to degrade him. King of a pile of shit, basically.

Hyper aware of doing anything that could be seen as embarrassing by other people. Movements, weird vocal tics or flubs, how he’s standing, what he’s looking at. Breathing. Avoids doing it if he can, but if that’s impossible, he’ll do them aggressively, bc generally people will avoid someone aggro. When an asshole does something embarrassing assholeishly it becomes scary.

Crooked ears.

Just kinda crashing through life with half-assed ideas instead of plans. He was really banking on becoming a sniper, and that achieving it would suddenly kick some enlightenment and maturity into his ass thereby fixing him. Probably expected that he’d have a house, spouse, and fam by now in the alternate reality where he succeeded. Since he didn’t, he’s just sorta fuckin’ around in a holding pattern as a bachelor in a suburban rental he pays too much for.

Ambivalent towards cats. True neutral. Can take them or leave them.

Fuckin’ loves bears though. Loves a dumbass lookin’ sun bear and will chew your ear off with sun bear atrocity stories.

Also is a rat/ferret/lizard/snake dude. Tell me he has any distinct feelings on feeding pinkies to an albino morph ball python and I will assert that he is thinking, “Food für baby 😊”

Oh my god did everyone else know that emojis could get smalled? Am I the last person to find this out?

I’m giving him this one from me too: he will shoot an orangutan on sight. Hates them. Creep him out hardcore. All other primates are good to go, but orangutans are born destined to rot hell.

Starcraft player, former disgusting League of Legends player. S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Metro, and CS:GO aficionado. VTMB and Fallout 1, 2, and New Vegas lover.

Doesn’t fuck with alcohol or alcoholics, but had/has a binge drinking problem - the duality of man. LOOOOVES uppers though, and doesn’t know that Battle Rage is just Military Meth, he’s somewhat strung out on it when he doesnt take leave as often as he should.

Buys shoes and clothes in bulk when he finds them in his size. Has 3 sets of tennis shoes in the back of his closet and 6 pairs of hiking boots/regular boots for KorTac work.

My lunch is getting cold, love you, bye.

#könig #könig modern warfare #konig #konig call of duty #konig mw2 #konig headcanons #I’m not putting anymore tags sorry umlaut #my hcs

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emilieautumnarchives · 9 months ago

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My iPod FOR SALE!!

Posted: September 11, 2007 Archived from BonnyTymePyrate’s Journal Archives

eBay. It’s bourgeois. It’s a rip-off. It’s garishly designed It’s the temporary home of my iPod!!!!!

You read correctly! With the advent of the iPhone, I will no longer require the services of my trusty iPod a.k.a. Mr. Brigglesby to sustain me on those all-day-all-night road trips from country to country to country and back again. He’s seen some great times though…pit-stops in Vienna…cathedrals in Cologne…sleeping in Scotland (he steals the covers). He knows my ins-and-outs, he’s great at shuffling, and he knows exactly what song to play to put me right back into a bad mood when I’m starting to feel just a little too happy.

And now, he can do it for YOU!

Proceeds from the sale of my iPod will go towards crack and prostitutes, and believe me, between me and the Crumpets, we go through a lot of both. Anyway! Whatever is left after the crack and hos will go towards the purchase of fancy new fabrics for our stage costumes for the upcoming Winter Asylum Tour, crafted for your viewing pleasure! And, oh, won’t you feel special knowing you helped to make them…

BID on Mr. Brigglesby HERE:

Here are the specs, bitches: Bloody Massive, SIGNED by MEEEE, 20 Gig Pod, Updated Software Black & White Light-Up Screen (no color, no video) Can be used as a hard drive No health issues, works like it did the day it was born The usual scratches in the metal backing, no dents, just normal cosmetic wear that tells you it’s been looooved… Any other questions, please ask via the eBay site, because even though eBay eSucks, you’ll get your question answered faster than you will here, where you most certainly won’t get a response in time because I am working sleeplessly and living in a cave. Includes: 1. USB cable (powers directly from your computer) 2. A personal note of introduction from Mr. Brigglesby to you 3. What about earbuds? FUCK no, it doesn’t come with my earbuds/phones/whatevers, because that would be disgusting and unsanitary, and you don’t want my ear-germs anyway, because even though I think I’m clean, I’ve never been tested, so let’s just not chance it, ok? EXTRAS: Here’s the fun part!! 1. GIGS of music already loaded (delete it if you hate metal) including: MY COMPLETE RECORDED CATALOG (Opheliac Double Disc, Liar/Dead EP, Laced/Unlaced, Enchant Rerelease, A Bit O’ This And That, Saw 3 Soundtrack), Angelspit, ASP, The Beatles, Bjork, Blutengel, The Chamber, Children Of Bodom, Cinema Strange, David Bowie, Dimmu Borgir, Dope Stars Inc., Dragonforce, Dreamtheatre, Einsturzende Neubauten, Finntroll, Flaming Lips, Gackt, Batman Begins Soundtrack, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Soundtrack, Jeff Buckley, The Killers, MaIice Mizer, Ministry, Moi dix Mois, Monty Python, Peter Murphy, Morrissey, The Smiths, Prodigy, Psyclon Nine, Queen, Rammstein, Schwarz Stein, Sex Pistols, The Shins, Sigur R�s, Steve Vai, Telepopmusik, Van Halen, Velvet Acid Christ, X Japan, and of course, Yngwie Malmsteen…AND MORE!!! *** MAKE MR. BRIGGLESBY YOUR BITCH TODAY! *** Final Note: I bought myself flowers today as a reward for never having bought myself flowers before. I was very grateful. Perhaps now I should go out drinking, come home late, and make myself sleep on the couch. Love & Bloody Crumpets from the Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls, EA

#2007 #ipod #opheliac era #journal #journals #journal entries #journal archives

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deliverred · 10 months ago

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Python whistles sharply, half-lidded eyes squinting further with mirth as he takes in the sight of his friend for the first time after the man's month-long mission. (Or was it a vacation?)

"Red really is your color, huh?" He reaches out to press his fingertips into the skin of Lukas's arm, watching for the transition from pale back to pink when he releases his grasp.

"Heh. Did'ja at least get some time to enjoy some fun in the sun while it was toastin' you to a crisp?"

The whistle is sharp and easily noticed, but Lukas still takes his time finishing the page he was reading before slipping a marker in place and closing the book to give Python his attention properly.

It wasn't hard to figure out what the other was commenting on. Now that he was back at the school and ready to start at his new position, Lukas didn't have the every day need to don his armor and so it had been left in his quarters; he'd opted for a simple white shirt and black trousers, forgoing the stiff jacket that seemed to go with it. There was no red on his clothes, but with sleeves rolled up past his elbows, it was impossible to not be aware of the vivid sunburn that had been left behind after a month on the beach.

He'd not been thinking much about it at the time, but wearing his armor for the majority of his stay had saved most of his skin from burning, however...

Starting halfway up his forearm and going just past his elbows was an angry pinkish-red, his fingers suffering the same fate but where his gloves had covered skin was still pale. It left behind a rather ridiculous ghost impression of the attire he'd been using in Happyland. His face, ears and the back of his neck had not been spared either, but it didn't look quite so...silly as his arms.

He doesn't flinch at the press of Python's fingers into his flesh, but he does note the somewhat bizarre sensation of tightness as damaged skin is forced to move with the applied pressure. For a brief moment, the area blanches, but as soon as Python removes his fingers, the redness seeps back into place.

"Indeed, it is," he breathes out a faint chuckle, smile softening into something fond at the casual teasing.

Lukas hums at the question, casting back to memories of the islands. The beach had been nice, even if it wasn't somewhere he would prefer to go to in order to relax. The warmth of the sun and the sand offset by a refreshing breeze and cool waters.

Blood in the water.

Mournful singing in the deep.

The visceral crush of water as it pulls you close and deep, and steals the breath from your very lips like a terrible and all-consuming lover.

"I'd never been to such a place before," Lukas says, tone thoughtful but leaning more towards lighthearted. "I'm afraid I'm not best suited for such a climate, but there was never a dull moment to be had. Sun, sand and surf -- that is many's ideal picture of a vacation, hm? I can't say as I needed one myself, but it had its benefits."

Another brief, quiet bout of laughter.

"If ever I go to a place like that again, I think I should take advantage of the shade more often, however."

#[ answered ask ]#[hello heckler]

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the-unhinged-raccoon · 2 years ago

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Meet my Black butler OC…Duchess!

Real Name: Kai Meredith

Age: 19-20

Gender: Genderfluid

Pronouns: Any

MBTI: INTP

Sign: Aries

Species: Half Dragon / Half Human

D.O.B: 9th of April

The Duchess of an Unknown Country, rumours say she moved to England after her family were Murdered and her home burnt to the ground, she was named as a duchess of England by the queen, although she is still Duchess of her homeland, (whichever country that is-) she stays in a mansion of her own built by her Family friend, The Gibsons.

She is almost always seen with her 4 extra large Great Danes, a large White lipped Python, (usually found wrapped around her neck) and 2 Butlers, Humphrey & Pearl, although she has just as often been seen with two other butlers, both of unusually large size for a ‘human’

#black butler #black butler oc #my oc art #duchess oc #sebastian michaelis #ciel phantomhive #kuroshitsuji grell #kuroshitsuji

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nrc-confessions · 1 year ago

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Unrelated to being insane about Jade leech but nature is just so fucking beautiful man. Something inherently romantic about the life cycle ur right. When one thing dies it helps another thrive. Maybe it's the rook Hunt kinnie in me but I think we should appreciate this worlds natural fucking beauty some more. Just look at like. Black leopard geckos. Or white lipped pythons. Or cats.

Thank you for your confession!

Oh absolutely! Nature is incredibly beautiful, plants and animals are so unique and I think it’s amazing how they adapt and evolve to better suit their environment. The ecosystem helps each other survive and they can work hand in hand. It’s something very poetic I think, something passes away, and nature envelops them in its warm embrace and uses them to thrive. Maybe it’s just me, but it’s sweet how it won’t go to waste. Even when you’re dead you still have a purpose.

I personally adore metamorphosis! Especially with butterflies,, a small beautiful little caterpillar turning into an even more beautiful butterfly…

Nature is so beautiful, sighs, no wonder Jade is obsessed with it.

Anyways! I think you’d be good friends with Rook if you aren’t already!

#I talk a lot sorry #posted by: 🌿#nrc confessions #unreality #night raven college #rook hunt #jade leech #<- because he’s mentioned #twst

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black-white-and-red-all-over · 2 years ago

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Serpentine (Natasha Romanoff x OC) - Chapter One

———————————————————————— ————————————————————————

SHIELD PERSONNEL C-019831690 RESTRICTED ACCESS: Director's Permission Required ———————————————————————— File Type: Mission Report (102) - Incident Report (67) - Witness' Statement (23) - Personal (56)

Load Personal.1b? Yes or No Transcript Available. Display? Yes or No

L O A D I N G . . .

———————————————————————— ————————————————————————

On a dreary night in Brooklyn, Director Nicholas Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. walks with a stiffness in his step and a grimace on his face.

His dark coat catches the light mist that has settled on the sidewalk with every footfall, spinning it in clouds around his feet that exaggerate their militaristic gait. The director's gloved hands are shoved in stiff, leather pockets to avoid the light drizzle which leaves beads of water rolling down his shoulders. The man's eyes dart from left to right, analysing every movement however slight it would seem to the usual passerby.

Overall, his silhouette emanates an aura of danger that most on the street shy away from.

However, looking closely enough, nearly imperceptible anxiety reveals itself in the stiffness of his shoulders. It is only once Fury approaches the emerald green door of a white brownstone on Carroll Street that he lets his habitual grimace fall and — after one final scan ahead and behind — makes his way to the stoop.

He raises a hand to knock.

As expected, the door swings open before he can touch it to a dimly lit and noticeably empty entryway. The only indication of anybody home is a scratchy record of Guy Lombardo's "Give Me the Moon Over Brooklyn" playing jovially beyond his line of sight.

Although the director quickly glances past the threshold, he seems to anticipate that he doesn't find anyone there to greet him. Instead, it is only the slight creak of shifting weight on wood that alerts him to the presence of his host.

"Lovely to see you, Nick. Boots off and set by the door, coat on the rack. I'll start a pot," calls a dulcet, strangely accented voice from further inside the apartment.

Fury lightly scoffs, but steps through the door and shrugs off his coat anyway. He considers the gun holstered against his hip, wondering if he should leave it at the door or-

"Additionally, you can drop that paranoia of yours. It's giving me a headache," the voice calls once again, assuring him of the decision he should make. "Rest assured that no one with less than savoury intentions walks this street without me knowing about it."

The man rolls his eyes, all the while hanging his coat — holster and gloves, as well — as per her request and making a point of closing the door with a sleeve pulled over his bare left hand.

"I see you haven't looked into the term 'welcome wagon' like I asked," Fury calls back to the disembodied voice, his own touched with a hint of annoyance.

Without any sound this time to signify her nearness, a woman suddenly passes in front of him with a coffee filter in her hand and a smirk on her lips. Her alabaster complexion blends perfectly with short hair too white to be natural, so much so that he almost doesn't notice the equally pale ball python resting at her throat.

"Can't say I have, Nick. Now, I know removing your coat must've been quite distressing, but the boots need to go too. House rules."

Fury glares at her slightly, but nonetheless pulls off his boots. A triumphant edge to her smirk appears as he does, but it vanishes the moment he stands straight and theatrically gestures to his boots, which now sit neatly on a tray by the door.

"Thank you, kindly," the woman quips before turning swiftly into the area to the right of the doorway, gesturing for her guest to follow.

As he trails behind her, Fury isn't surprised to find that the house still reflects her severe appearance. Everything is in some shade of black, white or green, barring a few small accents of a brilliant amber, and every piece of furniture is either antique or meant to look that way. His host is certainly an old soul, though much more literally than most people realise.

Fury eventually settles onto a sofa next to the record player, which has moved on to another song. In the kitchen across from him, the woman begins to scoop coffee grounds into the filter with her left hand, the snake now curled around her right. Against the deep black of her attire and the cabinetry, she and the python seem to eerily glow in comparison to their surroundings.

"Now, milk? Or are we brooding and taking coffee black today?"

Fury sends a look to his host's back, which she holds calmly after gracefully pivoting to meet it. A short staring match later, her opponent relents begrudgingly.

"Milk."

His host's eyes brighten slightly as she turns to finish her task without another word.

In the meantime, the director continues to scan his surroundings. After a moment, his eyes come to rest on the small table in front of him, and something atop it prompts him to raise a brow curiously.

"So... you knew I was coming?"

The woman is confused by his meaning at first, but realises as she approaches the coffee maker that a fresh pot already sits inside of it. She looks perplexed for a moment, but nonetheless exchanges the filter in her hand for a mug. After pouring the still steaming drink, she makes her way to Fury only to notice that milk and sugar have already been laid out as well.

She sets down his coffee soundlessly and takes the seat adjacent from him with nothing more than a shrug.

"It would seem that someone did," she says lowly, a small smile masking the annoyance that lingers in her eyes.

Fury nods slightly. He seems to understand the meaning behind her cryptic statement, but nonetheless continues to eye her carefully.

"And yet, even with a warning, that blasted snake is still here."

The woman's amber eyes snap to his, issuing a challenge that she knows neither of them would like to lose.

"Oh, hush. Trygve is a perfectly respectable snake, and better company than you could ever be."

As if to prove a point, the python -- Trygve -- flicks her tongue and 'kisses' her owner's cheek.

Fury chuckles, crossing one leg over the other and draping an arm over the back of the couch. He's relaxed slightly, a feat not many people could hope to achieve while hosting the notoriously paranoid man. It's a strange look on him, for sure, but a welcome one all the same.

"If that thing is better company than I am, I want to hear it tell a joke. I suppose I could concede to slam poetry if it was really good," he jokes lightheartedly.

In response, the woman teasingly lets the snake glide between her hands and watches Nick's eyes follow it nervously. After a moment, she lets Trygve settle around her neck once again and her guest into his seat.

"Don't worry, Nick, I'm only teasing. Tryg could never compete with your sunny disposition, and while her slam poetry is quite good, I'm not sure her jokes are up to par." Fury's eyebrows raise the smallest bit, sensing something tricky in her compliment. Even so, he knows better than to interrupt. "However, you should still call her by her name. It's rude not to."

"I'm sure the snake is incredibly offended," Fury deadpans.

"Oh, she'll be inconsolable for days. Perhaps you should give her a fuzzy as a recompense?"

The man immediately cringes, but expertly hides it by leaning forward in his seat.

"I am not touching her, nor will I be touching anything that goes in her mouth."

"Too squeamish?" Fury looks mildly insulted, so she happily continues. "You've no problem with shooting a person, but deceased infant mice are too much for you to handle?"

The director puffs out his chest and sends her a challenging glare.

"I don't have to touch people to shoot them. That's how guns work." The woman across from him looks unconvinced and on the verge of laughter, which only gets him more worked up. "I also don't feed those people to snakes once they've kicked the bucket!"

"So it's the fact that it's dead?" she says with a marginally darker smirk than before. Her hand moves toward the hollow of her throat. "It doesn't have to be."

The director instantly points a warning finger at her.

"You are not-" he starts, but stops as he sees her smile widen mischievously. "What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?"

The trickster proudly raises her chin a touch.

"Absolutely nothing. Just wanted to see how long I could get you to talk about your fear of snakes — and rodents, apparently — before you noticed," she says arrogantly, relishing the look of disbelief that appears on Nick's features before he ultimately slips away from his usually calm and collected demeanour.

"Why are you so determined to mock me every time I come into your house? First it was my badge-"

"You weren't looking at the camera."

"-then it was the eyepatch-"

"Now, you can't blame me for that."

"-and now it's my thing about mice. Why I continue to-"

Neither says anything as the blonde proudly leans back in her seat. A pregnant silence ensues, neither party willing to concede, until Fury slowly leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees. His tormentor does the same, narrowing her eyes and fashioning her expression into one of mock seriousness.

"Alex, if you say anything about this, to anyone, and I will personally throw your ass out of the Helicarrier."

"Not to worry, director. My lips are sealed," she says cheekily.

Fury tries to decide if she's being truthful or not as she bounces back into her previous position, but his companion — Alex — pulls herself out of her seat before he can decide. She moves to a large terrarium against the wall and carefully sets Trygve inside of it before turning back to see Nick finishing off the last of his coffee. She holds out an expectant — albeit hesitant — hand, but he waves her off and gets up. Instead of letting his host handle the dishes, Fury moves toward the nearest sink and washes out the mug, purposefully using his sleeves to touch the faucet, and carefully sets it on a drying rack.

Alex approaches and rests a hip against the counter, her serious expression noticeably more genuine than before.

"Not that I don't enjoy your visits, but why are you here, Nick?" She asks, her mixed accent warping the words slightly.

The man sighs and crosses his arms heavily.

"Coulson called about a situation at PEGASUS — said that Selvig is having some issues with the Cube. I don't have much more than that, but I figured you'd want to be there when we take a look at it."

She nods, unsurprised by the news.

"I would. I trust Selvig with it, but... my being there would at least provide a safety net if something goes awry."

"My thoughts exactly," Fury affirms, but watches curiously as the woman whom he'd come to know as a friend goes the slightest bit rigid. He takes note of where his hands are and realises that he'd absentmindedly rested one on the counter.

When he removes it and wipes the spot with his sleeve, Alex relaxes a bit and begins moving toward the front door. Fury follows and begins to gather his things.

"Well then, consider my time off interrupted. Just know you'll have to answer to Natasha when she gets back," she remarks stiffly, although some humour slightly slips back into her voice.

Fury, having not considered those particular repercussions of pulling Alex from their little hideout, stops halfway into tying his boots.

"Will she be in a good mood?" he asks.

Alex chuckles in response.

"She's doing a reverse interrogation this time around, so you might get away with your life."

"Good to know." Fury pivots once they reach the foyer, once again stoically staring down into his hosts unnaturally amber eyes. "I'll give you 10 minutes. Car's outside when you're ready."

"I'll be there in 5."

With that, Nick quickly throws a mock salute her way. She returns it with a practised grin and watches him get into a black van. Only when he disappears behind the tinted windows does she shut the door and get to work.

The ghostly girl wastes no time taking several wipes from a container by the door and meticulously disinfecting the doorknob and coat rack, then retreating back into the sitting room to wipe down any and all of the things that her guest had touched. After giving the same ritualistic treatment to the kitchen in turn, she goes to Trygve's terrarium and checks the humidity gauge along with a chart which ensures she's been fed recently.

Once satisfied with the state of the two more pressing rooms, Alex takes a box of tea from the counter and ascends a staircase that hugs the wall of the entryway. Once on the landing, she glides into the bathroom to retrieve a small pouch, inside of which are more wipes, various disinfectants, and gloves. In addition to the pouch, she retrieves a bottle of pills and another case from the medicine cabinet.

With too many things balancing in her arms, Alex next enters her bedroom. After dropping her collection of items and some extra clothing into a leather suitcase, she slides a pair of black gloves onto her hands and makes her way back to the bottom floor. Once there, the woman pulls a small glass rectangle from her pocket which lights up and reveals itself as a high-tech cell phone.

Alex scrolls through her contacts until clicking on one labelled 'Itsy Bitsy', which is settled quite near to the top.

Today 9:54 PM

"Time off interrupted yet again. Heading out to PEGASUS. See you at base."

"O.K. I'll give the boss a pummeling for you when I get back :)"

"Try not to kill him, will you?"

"I make no promises. Be careful <3"

"You too, love. See you soon."

Read at 9:57 PM

A content smile appears on Alex's lips as she grabs a coat from the rack and shrugs it on. Just as she's next slipped on a pair of flats and reached for the doorknob, her eyes are drawn back to her record player. Regardless of the fact that it will stop on its own, Alex walks over to halt the track and slide the record into its case. Once more she almost moves toward the door, but stops abruptly with a conflicted look on her features — after a few moments of pondering, she turns back to her record collection.

It takes a few moments of shifting things around, but she finally pulls out a worn record of Nick DeFrancis' "Fly Me to the Moon" and carefully turns it over to reveal a small note on one edge of the casing.

Still waiting! Love, Howie.

Regardless of the cute nature of the note, not even a flicker of a smile appears on her face. Instead, Alex simply places the gift at the base of her briefcase before turning off the lights and exiting her apartment with haste.

————————————————————————

When Alex eventually spots his car, she looks inside to see a freshly wiped seat and an impatient Nicholas Fury. She slips in and sets the briefcase at her feet while Fury puts the car into gear.

"Thank you, Nick," she says quietly.

He seems to notice the shift in her mood, but doesn't say anything about it.

"Well I've gotta keep you happy somehow, or you might make the Tesseract blow up on purpose."

"It'd take a bit more than not wiping down a seat."

"You gonna let me know where the line is?" he inquires while blatantly running a red light.

The woman looks over at him with a raised brow.

"Somewhere between running a red and kicking a puppy," she scolds.

Nick simply looks over at her with an innocent smile.

"I'll be sure to stay away from puppies, then. Can't let myself get tempted."

"That's awful."

"I wasn't the one who brought it up!"

Finally, a short laugh escapes Alex's lips as she shakes her head.

"I suppose we can call it a tie, then."

Fury seems to accept that answer, so he turns his attention back to driving. A comfortable silence blankets the air between them. Alex turns her head to look out the window and spots Stark Tower rising above the Manhattan skyline. She wonders for a moment whether the gaudiness of the building truly reflects the character of the man who inhabits it. From what she'w heard from Natasha, it certainly did.

Then again, she has more than enough reason to doubt that.

"So, how was time off treating you before I showed up?" Fury asks, breaking the silence and pulling Alex out of her wonderment.

She sighs somewhat defeatedly.

"It was alright. Very quiet, but I suppose that was the point. Anyhow, it's not getting any less irritable."

Fury grimaces a bit, but doesn't let his disappointment show too much.

"Have you found anything that calms it down?"

Alex thinks for a moment, but Nick can immediately tell that she isn't coming up with much.

"As of right now, very few things. Natasha's started teaching me ballet, and it seems to enjoy her company, so that's a step in the right direction. Other than that, though..." Nick gives her a look, which she returns. "Look, I'm managing it. Not particularly well, but I am. It's proving to be a bit difficult, as per usual."

Alex's eyes flare a brighter yellow for a moment and her attention goes elsewhere. Her eyes roll at nothing in particular.

Nick carefully averts his gaze and sighs heavily.

"What are the chances of you just... talking to it?"

"I do talk to it — I am talking to it — but I won't be giving it free rein until I know it isn't going to react like that every time it thinks I'm being threatened."

"From what you've told me, that's next to impossible," Nick responds carefully.

Alex lets her shoulders drop, discouraged.

"It's going to have to adjust. As much as I know it's only acting on its nature, it can't be lashing out at people that don't deserve it."

She looks guilty — afraid, even — as she says it, and Nick can't help but notice. He grips the steering wheel a bit tighter.

"Alex, I'm gonna be straight with you. I'd like you back in action as soon as possible, and being alone isn't going to make this situation any better."

The girl's eyes widen and her head cocks to one side, imagining all of the ways that the arrangement he's imagining could go wrong.

"As long as it's being this protective, I'm not sure I trust it around people," she says hesitantly.

Nick chuckles a bit.

"The people you spend time with aren't necessarily breakable. I'm sure they could handle a few days of readjusting."

Alex looks out the window once again, contemplating his words. She knows he's been right about most things of this nature in the past. However, there is an ever-worsening sensation in her gut that tells her this might be one of the rare occasions that he's wrong.

She takes a deep breath in and out before settling on a decision.

Don't think this means I'm not still mad at you.

"Fine. But if someone else gets hurt, it'll be on you."

"I trust you won't let that happen."

Unfortunately, Alex knows that his trust means very little to the voice in the back of her head, and it's not at all worried about breaking it.

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A/N: Hello everyone! Please remember to vote and comment if you are enjoying the story, as updates will heavily depend on interest. Welcome to Serpentine! (Note: This is reposted from my Wattpad account. Please do not repost without giving credit or replicate in any way.)

#writing snippet #marvel cinematic universe #black widow #natasha romanoff #avengers #nick fury #fanfiction #marvel

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